Projektbeschreibung
Verbesserung der Universalität von Kunststoffbausteinen zur Unterstützung des Recyclings in einer Kreislaufwirtschaft
Die Verwendung und das Recycling von Kunststoff stehen noch immer vor vielen Herausforderungen und auch Kunststoffabfälle stellen weiterhin ein wesentliches Problem dar. In einer echten Kreislaufwirtschaft werden Rohstoffe verwendet, um Produkte herzustellen, die dann wiederum in Rohstoffe zerlegt und wiederverwendet werden – es entsteht kein Abfall. Die Natur liefert uns hier aufschlussreiche Beispiele. Eines davon sind Proteine, sequenzdefinierte natürliche Polymere, die aus Aminosäuremonomeren aufgebaut sind. Die Natur recycelt sie, indem sie die Proteine in jene Aminosäuren aufspaltet, aus denen dann andere Proteine aufgebaut werden, die sich oft stark von den recycelten unterscheiden. Das EU-finanzierte Projekt NaCRe möchte das Konzept des Recyclings sequenzdefinierter biologischer und synthetischer Polymere in einer Weise entwickeln, die den Grundsätzen der Kreislaufwirtschaft entspricht.
Ziel
In 2070, 10^12 Kg of plastics (polymers) could be produced yearly in a world inhabited by 11 billion people. Hence, we have ~50 years to address this sustainability challenge. The sourcing and disposing of such quantities without a significant environmental impact will not be possible, even if everything is bio-sourced and bio-degraded. Yet, on earth, there are >10^12 Kg of proteins (one of Nature’s polymers). They are sustainable because they are recycled in a circular way. If we exemplify their metabolism, proteins are decomposed by living organisms into their monomeric constituents (the amino acids, AAs); the cell machinery uses such AAs to synthesize new proteins that have little in common with the original ones. This is only possible because a protein is a specific sequence of AAs bound together by cleavable peptide bonds, i.e. proteins are sequence-defined polymers, SDPs. Nature reuses and does not degrade AAs, thus assuring protein sustainability. This project aims at showing that such a circular approach to recycle SDPs is possible for technologically-relevant polymers using engineering-sound laboratory processes. One aim is to show that b-Lactoglobulin, a milk protein used as a component for water filtration membranes, can be digested into its AAs, that, in turn, can be used to form Fibroin, a silk protein used in resistive switching memory devices. Fibroin will be converted into Keratin, a wool protein, that will be converted back into b-Lactoglobulin. Another aim is to perform the whole process within an automated and scalable robotic platform. The final aim is to expand this concept from natural proteins to DNA and non-natural SDPs. There would be a paradigm shift in plastic recycling, if a random mixture of any polymers could be used to produce any other polymer on earth, without taxing the planet with degradation products. Scope of this project is to show that such a vision in the circular use of polymers is scientifically and technologically possible.
Wissenschaftliches Gebiet
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanets
- natural scienceschemical sciencesorganic chemistryamines
Schlüsselbegriffe
Programm/Programme
Thema/Themen
Finanzierungsplan
ERC-ADG - Advanced GrantGastgebende Einrichtung
1015 Lausanne
Schweiz